An Unsuitable Job for a Woman

Several characters describe Mark to Cordelia in the course of her investigation. How do their descriptions of Mark’s personality reflect on their characters versus his? What does this suggest about the role appearance plays in society?

Detectives often follow their own code of conduct and morality in this genre of fiction. Cordelia is no different. She adheres to her code and becomes an arbiter of justice. Describe Cordelia’s code as presented in the novel. Does it bring true justice? Would you make the same choices? Why or why not?

Sir Ronald is initially described as having “that almost physical glow, akin to sexuality and undimmed by weariness of ill-health, of men who knew and enjoyed the realities of power” (40). Later, “[h]is face reminded [Cordelia] of faces seen grotesquely reflected in grubby train windows at night—cavernous, the bones stripped of flesh, eyes set in fathomless sockets—faces resurrected from the dead” (195). How does James use physical descriptions to reveal character? Are there characters who don’t match their outward appearances?

What role do the Marklands play in this novel? Miss Markland in particular is an interesting character—what do you make of her backstory, and what function does she serve?

Red herrings, or false clues, are a common trope in detective fiction. Where, how, and why does James plant red herrings in this story?

Several characters are orphaned or lose their mothers at a very young age. What purpose do all these dead mothers and fathers serve in the novel? Is there any relationship between a person’s parentage and how they turn out?

Cordelia dreamed of attending Cambridge; instead she becomes a private detective who investigates the murder of a former Cambridge student. Do you think Cordelia regrets where her path has taken her? Why or why not, and how does James convey this in the text?

How does Cordelia Gray compare to male detective fiction protagonists like Adam Dalgleish, Sam Spade, and Philip Marlowe, to name a few?